Maximum PC Killer $647 System

[ainulph]

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/how_build_awesome_pc_647

I'm planning on basing my gaming rig basically identical to this.

The only difference is that I want to get a 1tb hard drive and use the Rosewill Wind Knight Gaming ATX Mid Tower.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147135.

After shopping around, I have it estimated at around $640 after everything.

Do think this setup is a good value?

 

[MadAdmiral]

Not really, as it uses DDR2. However, here's a very similar build with a 1 TB HDD for about the same:

CPU/Mobo: X4 620 and Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4 $221
RAM: CL 7 1600 mhz Ripjaws $115
HDD: Seagate 7200.12 1 TB $95 (or wait the Samsung Spinpoint F3 to be in stock for $5 less)
GPU: HD 5770 $150 after rebate
Case/PSU: Antec 300 Illusion and Earthwatts 650W $125
HSF/Optical: Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus and cheap SATA DVD burner $40

Total: $700. It even includes a CPU cooler for overclocking. The Antec case in this build would be better than a Rosewill...

 

[col musstard]

Not really, as it uses DDR2. However, here's a very similar build with a 1 TB HDD for about the same:

CPU/Mobo: X4 620 and Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4 $221
RAM: CL 7 1600 mhz Ripjaws $115
HDD: Seagate 7200.12 1 TB $95 (or wait the Samsung Spinpoint F3 to be in stock for $5 less)
GPU: HD 5770 $150 after rebate
Case/PSU: Antec 300 Illusion and Earthwatts 650W $125
HSF/Optical: Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus and cheap SATA DVD burner $40

Total: $700. It even includes a CPU cooler for overclocking. The Antec case in this build would be better than a Rosewill...

not to doubt you as I know you are more educated about pc's than me but why would you get a $140 mobo with a $95 cpu on a budget build? and with the OS your build is about 800.

 

[MadAdmiral]

The board is extremely future proof. That board could easily last you a good 5-6 years. That will enable you to drop in a higher CPU later and change nothing else. I could have suggested a very cheap board that wouldn't last as long, thus costing more in the long run. Besides, there aren't many quality boards that cost less than the CPU. Actually, now that I think of it, all of the top boards for each set of CPUs (AM3, LGA1156, LGA1366) cost more or the same as the CPUs for the board...

Also, don't forget that the CPU can be overclocked to a much higher clock speed, thus increasing it's value.

To be honest, I didn't notice the OS in the original build, but I still stand by the build above. However, this build is a lot higher quality and has a lot more future proofing potential. This is a build that you could upgrade over a few years and have a top notch system. The other system would need to be thrown in the trash after about a year or two.

The only things I would recommend switching to save some money is to change the CPU to a X3 425 to save $25 (combo with above board for $197) and/or switching the board to a Gigabyte GA-770TA-UD3 to save another $45 (combo with the X4 for $171 after rebate or combo with the X3 for $147 after rebate). However, switching the board would lose a lot of upgrade potential by only having one PCIe 2.0 slot. To build anything lower would be building yourself a computer that is already obsolete.